The Open Dialogue Foundation, the Italian Federation for Human Rights, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Freedom Kazakhstan Foundation; the Global Committee for the Rule of Law invite you to attend the online event “TARGETED SANCTIONS: A TOOL TO SAFEGUARD HUMAN RIGHTS. THE EU FRAMEWORK AND NATIONAL INITIATIVES IN EUROPE AND OVERSEAS”
The Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) and Federazione Italiana Diritti Umani (FIDU) are back on track after the lockdown with a real-life press conference “The Authoritarian Epidemic: Safeguarding Human Rights in Times of COVID-19”. The conference was held on 29 July 2020, at Sala Caduti di Nassirya of the Italian Senate, in Rome, Italy.
Upon the initiative of the Italian Senator Roberto Rampi
the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU) and the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF)
invite you to the press conference “The Authoritarian Epidemic: Safeguarding Human Rights in Times of COVID-19”.
The case of Daria El Zhed, a Russian opposition activist, has become one more example of political persecution against members and leaders of the Open Russia opposition movement. This movement was founded by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a long-time opponent of the Russian authoritarian regime. Daria El Zhed asked for political asylum in Austria. Now she may have to face extradition from Austria to Russia, where she will be tortured and subject to unfair investigation and trial.
The coronavirus outbreak has been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. As of 22 June 2020, the WHO had reported cases of COVID-19 in more than 216 countries and more than 8,844,171 people infected worldwide. The scale and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic clearly rises to the level […]
In response to the arrival of (inappropriate) medical supplies from Moscow to the Pratica di Mare military airport, Italy, as well as of military means and high-ranking officers affiliated to the Russian Ministry of Defence to cope with the #COVID19 pandemic (March 22, 2020), ODF, together with other fifteen non-governmental organisations, promoted a letter of appeal addressed to Italy’s PM Giuseppe Conte.
The Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, the think tank of the EPP, has just published a new research paper entitled “EU Human Rights Promotion in Central Asia – Between the Dragon and the Bear”, written by ODF’s analysts Igor Savchenko, Kateryna Savchenko and Andriy Osavoliuk. The research paper consists of six sections, tackling a wide range of topics, from the promotion of human rights in Central Asia from the EU’s security perspective, to China and Russia’s influence in the region, including an analysis of how Central Asian regimes have progressively adopted human rights violations from Russia and China.
Statement on the COVID-19 in closed prisons in the occupied Crimea and Donbas which is under Russia’s effective control. An immediate response from international organizations is required.
On the 20th February 2020, on the occasion of the 19th Winter Meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, together with the members of the Dutch Delegation, Farah Karimi and Boris Dittrich, we had the pleasure of hosting the side-event “New and Old Ways of Suppressing Dissent in the OSCE Area: Protecting Political Refugees from Legal and Technological Abuse”.
The 2020 Winter Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), held on 27-31 January 2020 in Strasbourg, was dominated by two topics: the returning of voting rights to Russia (which ODF strongly campaigned against), which was suspended following its annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine, and the worsening situation in regard to the rule of law in Poland.
On 26 November 2019, the Open Dialogue Foundation (ODF) and the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) hosted a European Parliament breakfast under the title “Ukrainian Hostages of the Kremlin: How to Release Them All?”. The event was organised upon the initiative of the MEPs Petras Auštrevičius (Renew Europe; Lithuania), Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Greens/EFA, Germany) and Julie Ward (S&D; UK).
In the present document, the Open Dialogue Foundation, the Italian Federation for Human Rights, the Arrested Lawyers Initiative, the Human Rights Defenders e.V. and the Kharkiv Institute for Social Research attempt to fill the gaps in the PACE report and propose recommendations with respect to improving cooperation among the member states of the Council of Europe in the sphere of extradition.
During the last PACE Autumn session (30-4 October), together with the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) and the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU) we had the pleasure to host: Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian filmmaker recently released from Russian custody; Kazakhstani human rights defenders Bota Jar
We defend human rights, democracy and the rule of law. We stepped on the toes of many authoritarian and hybrid regimes which currently conduct targeted propaganda and disinformation campaigns against us. Would you like to form your own opinion? Find out what we have done so far.
Between Monday 16 and Friday 27 September 2019, representatives of the Open Dialogue Foundation Xheni Dani, Joanna Cuper and Maksym Sytnikov participated in the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting held in Warsaw. Our representatives delivered several statements in which they raised is
Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian film director who spent five years detained in a Russian prison, and Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation, who was expelled from Poland by the Law and Justice government, met in Strasburg with French President Emmanuel Macron. An account of the visi
Crimean film director, Maidan activist, Ukrainian patriot and one of the bravest prisoners of the Kremlin, Oleg Sentsov has recently regained his freedom. We – along with many others – had solicited for his release for the five years he spent in Russia under arrest and in prison.
Oleg Sentsov, former political prisoner gave his first speech abroad, in Berlin, after being released from Russian prison on September 7. To this purpose, on September 26, Frank Schwabe MP and Manuel Sarazzin MP welcomed Sentsov and our delegation to a parliamentary event at the Bundestag.
The adoption of the so-called “Magnitsky Act”, in Italy and at the European Union level, and the possible developments of its implementation have been discussed at a conference recently hosted by the Chamber of Deputies.
On July 24, in Rome, ODF and FIDU organised an event under the title “Human Rights protection and sanctions: towards a Global Magnitsky Act”. The event took place at the conference room of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament and was hosted by Deputy Lia Quartapelle (Democratic Party).
On July 24, in Rome, ODF and FIDU organised an event under the title “Human Rights protection and sanctions: towards a Global Magnitsky Act”. The event took place at the conference room of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament and was hosted by Deputy Lia Quartapelle (Democratic Party).
![naTemat: Senator reveals truth of PiS’s support for Russia’s return to the Council of Europe [INTERVIEW]](http://en.odfoundation.eu/content/uploads/i/articles/9397_mid.jpg)
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is “slightly” skirting the truth. This refers to the high-profile case of how PiS supported Russia’s reinstatement in the CoE and then protested against it. Senator A. Pociej, who knows the background to the case, reveals what it looked like in practice.
The third seminar of the Commission “Truth, Justice and Reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine, in association with the European Union”, which took place from June 2 to 5, 2019, in the city of Caen, brought together researchers and representatives of civil society from Ukraine, Russia and EU.
We, the Ukrainian human rights and civil society organizations, have been protecting Ukrainian citizens illegally detained in Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories of Crimea and Donbas for the past six years.
On 10 June 2019, the portal Grani.ru published an article on the seminar of the Commission “Truth, justice and reconciliation between Russia, Ukraine and the EU”, which took place at the beginning of the month in the French city of Caen in Normandy.
The participants of the third seminar “Truth, justice and reconciliation between Russia, Ukraine and the EU”, which took place on June 2-5 in Caen, Normandy, issued a declaration calling on Russia to immediately stop the war with Ukraine and release all political prisoners.
On Thursday 28 March, 2019, ODF, FIDU, the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) and the EU–Russian Expert Group on Combating Transborder Corruption organised an international conference on the application of the Magnitsky law, at the premises of the Italian Senate.
On Thursday 28 March, 2019, FIDU, ODF, the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) and the EU–Russian Expert Group on Combating Transborder Corruption organised an international conference on the application of the Magnitsky law, at the premises of the Italian Senate.
On the occasion of the PACE, 29 members from different national delegations (e.g. France, Belgium, UK, Poland, Italy etc.) and political groups signed a written declaration “Sanctions must be maintained and “Magnitsky laws” applied in response to human rights violations in the RF occupied Crimea”
The Open Dialogue Foundation and the Italian Federation for Human Rights are pleased to invite you to a side-event on the application of the Magnitsky law, which will be held on Tuesday, 9 April 2019, from 13.00 to 14.00, room 14 (ground floor), at the premises of the Council of Europe, Palais.
On 18 March 2019, in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a round table took place on the subject of “Persecution and violation of the rights of Ukrainian citizens on the territory of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.”
On 18 March 2019, in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a round table took place on the subject of “Persecution and violation of the rights of Ukrainian citizens on the territory of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.”
Poll results have demonstrated that Poles are the most liked nation in Ukraine, ahead of Belarussians and Canadians. Yet, we do our best to make Ukrainians stop liking us.
In international law, there is an unconditional ban on the extradition of persons to countries where they may find themselves at risk of torture and ill-treatment. Extradition requests issued on the basis of politically motivated prosecutions are also illegal.
The European Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee has recently released a report it has commissioned, entitled “Misuse of Interpol’s Red Notices and impact on human rights – recent developments”. Yesterday, the study was officially presented at the subcommittee’s meeting.
The ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska took part in two international events. The first one, organised by the ALDE party in Visegrad, Hungary on 1-2 December, focused on the “bright future of liberalism” in Europe. The second was organised by the Sorbonne University in Paris on December 15th.
The ODF President Lyudmyla Kozlovska took part in two international events. The first one, organised by the ALDE party in Visegrad, Hungary on 1-2 December, focused on the “bright future of liberalism” in Europe. The second was organised by the Sorbonne University in Paris on December 15th.
Last weekend, the co-funder of Russie-Libertés and a human rights defender – Alex Prokopiev, visited Warsaw. On that occasion, he met the representatives of Polish civil society and took part in a weekly pacific protest held by street opposition activists in defense of the Constitution.
Last weekend, the co-funder of Russie-Libertés and a human rights defender – Alex Prokopiev, visited Warsaw. On that occasion, he met the representatives of Polish civil society and took part in a weekly pacific protest held by street opposition activists in defense of the Constitution.
Lev Ponomaryov and Emil Kurbedinov were subjected to shocking cases of administrative arrest for posting on social networks. In this way, the authorities continue to apply the policy of intimidation and punishment of individuals who dare criticise the actions of the regime.
As a long-standing promoter and advocate of the Global Magnitsky Act, ODF warmly welcomes the news that, on December 10, 2018 the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs voted unanimously in favour of an EU-wide sanctions regime, based on a proposal submitted by the Dutch government.
The Open Dialogue Foundation is among the organisations who joined the appeal to support the adoption of a Global Magnitsky Act at the EU level.
Representatives of the governments of all 28 EU countries gathered in the Hague in order to discuss the Netherlands’ proposal to adopt, within the EU, of a joint legal mechanism that would allow the imposition of personal sanctions on persons involved in gross violations of human rights.
On Sunday, November 25, 2018, a ship of the Border Guard Service of the Russian Federation’s Federal Security Service rammed through a Ukrainian tugboat “Yany Kapu”. Along with two small artillery boats “Berdyansk” and “Nikopol”, it was executing a planned sail from Odesa to Mariupol… (read more)
On 21 November 2018, at the 87th session of the General Assembly of INTERPOL, a new INTERPOL president was to be elected. According to the report of reputable mass media, the representative of the Russian Federation, Major General of Police, Vice-President of INTERPOL Oleksandr Prokopchuk had the greatest chances to be elected for this post.
On 21 November 2018, at the 87th session of the General Assembly of INTERPOL, a new INTERPOL president will be elected. The representative of the Russian Federation, Major General of Police, Vice-President of INTERPOL Oleksandr Prokopchuk has the greatest chances to be elected for this post.
The sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will not be lifted. On October 9, a draft resolution that aimed to create conditions conducive to Russia’s return to this institution was rejected.
Ukrainian journalist Mykola Semena was de facto refused permission to leave the occupied Crimea in order to receive medical treatment at the neurosurgery and cardiology clinics.
There have been recent appeals by members of the largest parliament factions for legally enshrining the term ‘foreign agents’ in order to apply it to civic organisations and media which “directly or indirectly serve the interests of the aggressor state, i.e. the Russian Federation”.
OPEN LETTER. We, the undersigned, are strongly concerned about the possible demise of the Council of Europe, which can take place very soon.
Between Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 September 2018, the ODF conducted an advocacy mission in Warsaw at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, a forum aimed at providing a platform for dialogue between NGOs and the representatives of OSCE Member States.
Is the expulsion of the head of the Open Dialog Foundation from the EU at the request of Poland a victory for the Russian services, for the ODF having gotten under their skin? That’s what Andrzej Wielowieyski and Marcin Święcicki think.
Within the framework of the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2018 in Warsaw, the Open Dialog Foundation will hold a side event entitled “Defence for the Defenders: lawyers and attorneys under attack for participation in politically motivated cases in the post-Soviet area”.
“Such a fierce attempt at gagging the Foundation and undermining its work, despite its undisputable contributions and achievements, is just bewildering. Obviously, there is one country which clearly dislikes the Open Dialog Foundation. It is Russia.” – says Andrzej Wielowieyski.
On Thursday 19 July, 2018, Italian Senator Roberto Rampi together with the Open Dialog Foundation and the Italian Federation for Human Rights, hosted a press conference at the premises of the Italian Senate entitled “In defense of civil liberties. Testimonies from Russia, Moldova and Kazakhstan”
Between Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 July, 2018 in Rome a delegation of human rights defenders of the ODF and the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU) took part in a series of meetings and seminars with Italian lawmakers, journalists and members of Italian National Forensics Council (CNF).
The story of Oleg Sentsov, based on ODF’s earlier publications (2014-2015), was publishing in Swedish independent publishing house Ariel Förlag. This publishing house for two decades specialized in introducing contemporary literature from the Baltic republics, Poland, and Russia.
On Thursday 19 July 2018, the Open Dialog Foundation (ODF) and the Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU), together with the Italian Senator Mr Roberto Rampi, will host a press conference entitled “In defense of civil liberties. Testimonies from Russia, Moldova and Kazakhstan”.
Civil society activists from Kazakhstan and Russia who are seeking political asylum in Ukraine, have faced secret surveillance and threats from unidentified persons. The activists claim that Kazakhstan’s special services are involved in this matter.
Between the 25 and 27 June, 2018, a delegation of lawyers, a judge and human rights defenders from Moldova, Russia, Kazakhstan, Italy, Belgium and Turkey, led by the Open Dialog Foundation, participated in the 38th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The right to defence is one of the fundamental human rights that is enshrined in a number of international agreements. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the principle of equality of all before the law, the presumption of innocence, and the right to be examined openly.
Please be advised that any video recordings recently posted on the Internet allegedly involving Lyudmyla Kozlovska, associating her with Bill Browder (initiator of the Global Magnitsky Law campaign) and Mukhtar Ablyazov, (leader of the opposition movement “Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan”) are fake.
The ODF and the Italian Federation for Human Rights, with the valued support of the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty, are pleased to announce the holding of the third event concerning the persecution of lawyers and international instruments for their protection.
On 6 June 2018, the President of the Open Dialog Foundation (ODF) addressed a letter to INTERPOL’s agencies in regard to the Mr. William Browder case. Mr. Browder was subjected to a sixth international arrest warrant issued by the Russian Federation.
I am writing this to ring the alarm about Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian political prisoner who is now in deadly danger in a Russian prison, on a hunger strike. If no urgent measures are taken, he will die in his attempt to liberate his fellows in misery – other Ukrainian political prisoners.
The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation with the use of its own armed forces in March 2014 caused numerous violations of rights and freedoms, including freedom of thought and expression, conscience and religion.
Oleksandra Matviychuk, the head of the Center for Civil Liberties, handed over to Kurt Volker, an appeal from more than 50 civil society associations (including the Open Dialog Foundation) regarding strategic priorities in the course of negotiations with Russia.
On 23 March 2018, the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL's Files reported that the name of Yan Andreyev had been removed from the international wanted list. His prosecution has been recognised as politically motivated. The Open Dialog Foundation reported widely on the case of Yan Andreyev.
Between 1 and 2 March, 2018, a delegation of defenders from the Open Dialog Foundation met in Geneva on the occasion of the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
In February 2018, two events on the topic of the persecution of lawyers were held at the premises of the European Parliament in Brussels (Tuesday, 20 February 2018) and at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting in Vienna (Friday, 23 February 2018)
Persecution of lawyers: selected cases from Moldova, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan
The Open Dialog Foundation is glad to invite you to an event on the topic of the persecution and protection of lawyers, which will be held on Friday 23 February 2018, from 12:30 to 14:00, room 531 at the premises of the Hofburg Congress Centre, Vienna.
The Open Dialog Foundation is glad to invite you to an event on the topic of the persecution and protection of lawyers, which will be held on Tuesday 20 February 2018, from 15:30 to 17:00, room: A5G305; at the premises of the European Parliament – Brussels.
The work of a lawyer in the Eastern European member countries of the Council of Europe is fraught with many risks: murders and attempted assassinations, criminal prosecution, pressure on relatives, illegal searches, attempts to withhold an attorney’s license, and slanderous media campaigns.
Success of Ukrainian NGOs. Once again, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has prevented the Russian delegation from returning to its ranks. This decision was appealed for by 40 Ukrainian NGOs and the Open Dialogue Foundation.
We seek your urgent support to save the life of victim of the latest political persecution of Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea. He is 57-years old Bekir Degermendzhi who was detained on 23 of November this year on a fabricated criminal charge.
On 24 October 2017, the President of the Open Dialogue Foundation Lyudmyla Kozlovska spoke in Hromadske TV about how the international system for the exchange of information on criminals had become a repressive mechanism and how authoritarian states use the Interpol to their advantage.
On 11 October, 2017, Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) addressed the Secretary of Interpol, Mr Jürgen Stock, and the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF) in a bid to warn against abusive use of the international arrest warrant.
Since the beginning of the Russian–Ukrainian conflict, at least 65 Ukrainian citizens have faced politically motivated criminal proceedings in Russia, as well as in the occupied Crimea.
On the occasion of the OSCE HDIM 2017, the Open Dialog Foundation held an expert seminar “Human Rights and Political Persecution in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Kazakhstan” in Warsaw on 21 September 2017. This discussion was our last side event during HDIM 2017.
The Open Dialog Foundation, in partnership with Destination Justice held a debate “Reform of the INTERPOL: don’t let it be stopped halfway” in Warsaw on 15 September 2017, at the premises of the National Stadium (PGE Narodowy) on the occasion of the OSCE HDIM2017.
The Open Dialog Foundation, in partnership with Destination Justice held a debate “Reform of the INTERPOL: don’t let it be stopped halfway” in Warsaw on 15 September 2017, at the premises of the National Stadium (PGE Narodowy) on the occasion of the OSCE HDIM2017.
The practice of prosecuting political opponents with the help of controlled law enforcement agencies is systemic in Russia. Even in cases when political refugees have left the territory of Russia, they still cannot feel safe.
The General Secretariat of the International Criminal Police Organization certified that the names of the Kazakh opposition politicians Mukhtar Ablyazov and Muratbek Ketebayev, as well as Ablyazov’s associates Tatiana Paraskevich and Alexandr Pavlov were deleted from the INTERPOL’s databases.
On 27 June, 2017, Members of PACE from across the political spectrum and different states addressed the Secretary of Interpol and the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files in a joint letter concerning the widespread abuses of Interpol system by Russia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Azerbaijan.
Non-democratic states carry out political persecution through the Interpol system. Both human rights NGOs and intergovernmental organisations have been working on this problem for several years. Finally, the reform of Interpol got underway.
On Tuesday, 28 February, 2017, Members of the European Parliament hosted the Open Dialog Foundation for a debate event on the “Ukrainian Political Prisoners in Russia and occupied Crimea”, at the European Parliament – Brussels.
Between 23 and 24 February, 2017, a representative of the Open Dialog Foundation was present at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting 2017 in Vienna. The aim of the visit was to discuss the current human rights and political situation in the post-Soviet region.
V.Buntov has been repeatedly subjected to torture due to his refusal to withdraw a complaint he filed against FR with the ECHR. Russian authorities deny him medical care and demonstratively threaten him with an extended prison sentence in retaliation for his attempts to defend his rights in the ECHR
We, the Russian and Polish human rights activists, hereby urge the Ministry of Justice of Austria to prevent the extradition of Nail Malyutin to Russia until the circumstances of his case are determined by the competent authorities of the Republic of Austria.
As the Open Dialog Foundation, we would like to thank you for your support during the past year and wish you all the best in your professional and personal life in 2017! On this occasion we would like also to share with you some of the ODF’s top achievements of the year 2016.
On 9 December 2016, France’s State Council (Conseil d’Etat) rejected Russia’s request for the extradition of the Kazakh opposition politician and businessman Mukhtar Ablyazov. The request for Ablyazov’s extradition was recognised as politically motivated.
Today, on 10 December, is an international Human Rights Day. Millions of letters for those who were deprived of basic human rights will be written around the world.
Breaking news: France has refused to extradite Mukhtar Ablyazov to Russia and Ukraine. The decision of the French Conseil d’Etat is final. He is going to leave the arrest after 3 years.
According to this year’s Human Freedom Index 2016 survey measuring widely understood personal and economic liberty, Eastern Europe is departing faster and faster from the western part of the continent.
On the 7th October, the date of Vladimir Putin’s birthday, the Euromaidan-Warszawa Foundation organised a silent protest by the Russian Embassy and its participants brought portraits of victims of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, at least 43 Ukrainian citizens have been illegally prosecuted for political reasons on the part of the Russian law enforcement agencies. Of them 6 have been released, 30 are still held in detention facilities or prisons.
On 10-14 October 2016, during the 4th plenary session of the PACE, a world-wide #StopPutinsWarInUkraine action will take place and photos of political prisoners and histories of their persecution will be published on social media within the #LetMyPeopleGo campaign.
On 28-30.09.2016, the Open Dialog Foundation joined again the European Forum for New Ideas, held since 2011 in Sopot. The discussion on the violation of human rights in contemporary military conflicts was co-organised by the ODF together with the Initiative of Global Compact Network Poland.
On 28-30.09.2016, the Open Dialog Foundation joined again the European Forum for New Ideas, held since 2011 in Sopot. The discussion on the violation of human rights in contemporary military conflicts was co-organised by the ODF together with the Initiative of Global Compact Network Poland.
In the last years, considerable criticism arose over the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), which used to be excessively passive in the wake of a growing trend of misuse of its mechanisms by authoritarian states.
(Translation from Russian) Supreme Public Prosecutor, of the Czech Republic, Pavel Zeman Jezuitská 4, Brno, CZ-660 55 Czech Republic, [email protected]; Head of Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic, Tomáš Haišman 21/ОАМ, Nad Štolou, 3, Praha 7, CZ-170 34 [email protected]; [email protected]; Minister of Justice of the Czech […]
Representatives of the Foundation follow and attend the most important sessions and meetings of the international organizations and institutions in Brussels, Strasbourg, Vienna and Geneva.
On 28 June, 2016, the court in Vilnius handed down the ruling denying the requests of Kazakhstan and Ukraine regarding the extradition of Syrym Shalabayev who is a relative of the Kazakh opposition politician and political refugee, Mukhtar Ablyazov.
More than three dozen Ukrainians continue to remain in detention for political reasons in Russia.
The decision on his extradition to Russia must be reconsidered
The Open Dialog Foundation released a statement on May 9 regarding the involvement of Russian officials in the ‘Magnitsky list’ who are also involved in other politically motivated criminal proceedings in Russia – the Red Notice Law Journal informed.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE) Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, held a hearing in Rome on 18 May 2016, dedicated to the topic of the misuse of Interpol by non-democratic states and the need for more stringent legal safeguards.
The event, organised , among others, by the Euromaidan Warsaw and the Open Dialog Foundation, was not only reported by the Polish and Ukrainian media; Ukrainian diaspora’s online portals around the world also became interested in it.
As early as in 2014 the Czech Republic granted to Tatiana Paraskevich subsidiary protection, refusing to extradite her to Ukraine or Russia. However, in 2016, Ukraine and Russia almost simultaneously issued identical requests for Paraskevich’s extradition.
The Kremlin wants to get rid of the Magnitsky Act, which fingers some of its state-approved gangsters, and it’s using desperately needy children as pawns.
On 27 April, 2016, a discussion on the case of Sergei Magnitsky, Russian anti-corruption whistle-blower and lawyer who died in custody in Moscow, in 2009, after having exposed a tax fraud of $230 million, took place at the European Parliament in Brussels.
We, the representatives of Russian human rights organisations, would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Kazakh opposition politician and political refugee Mukhtar Ablyazov is currently facing extradition from France to Russia.
On behalf of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, the Open Dialog Foundation, and the Center for Civil Liberties, we would like to kindly invite you to a conference with two panels entitled “Russian War Crimes in Eastern Ukraine” and “28 hostages of the Kremlin”.
Due to the recent extremely worrying developments and following consultations with Nadiya Savchenko’s lawyers, as well as with the representatives of the Russian opposition and civil society we have decided to broaden the “Savchenko List” with new names and to make it public.
French media outlet Mediapart, founded by a former Le Monde editor, Edwy Plenel, has published an article on the case of Mukhtar Ablyazov. Mediapart, famous for its investigative journalism, described how Kazakhstan had influenced the legal proceedings in France.
57 deputies of the European Parliament filed a letter with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Mogherini, containing an appeal to initiate the imposition of personal sanctions against those involved in the kidnapping and illegal prosecution of N. Savchenko.
Nadiya Savchenko was supposed to deliver her final word statement on March 3 during a hearing that was to set the date for the final verdict in her case to be announced. In an unexpected turn of events, she was not allowed to speak as the hearing was adjourned to March 9.
In line with an agreement made between Putin and Nazarbayev, investigators from the ‘Magnitsky List’ and representatives of Kazakhstan demanded that Paraskevich and Trofimov sign incriminating testimonies against opposition politician, Ablyazov.
On 4 March, 2016, Nadiya Savchenko officially went on a ‘dry hunger strike’, refusing even water. Such a radical move is a reaction to yesterday’s unlawful action of the court which did not permit the Ukrainian woman to deliver her final speech at the trial.
On Thursday, 25 February 2016, the Open Dialog Foundation and the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty organised a working lunch dedicated to the topic of persecution of independent media and political opposition in Central Asia.
Stanislav Klykh (aged 41, a citizen of Ukraine) is one of the defendants in the so-called ‘Chechen case’ – a fabricated criminal case against senior Ukrainian officials for crimes committed on the territory of the Russian Federation during the First Chechen War in the mid-1990s.
Russia is one of the leaders in terms of the overall number of registered applications it has filed against it in the European Court of Human Rights. In December 2015, Russia adopted legislative amendments which means that decisions issued by the ECHR and other international courts are not enforced.
On Monday, 25 January 2016, during the year-opening session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian civil society gathered at an event organized by the Open Dialogue Foundation and the Kyiv Dialogue.
On behalf of the Open Dialog Foundation, non-governmental human rights organisation, we would like to congratulate you on your election as the new UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Within the framework of the human rights campaign ‘LetMyPeopleGo’,ODF and the Civic Initiative ‘Euromaidan SOS’, present a report about 27 Ukrainians and 1 citizen of a European country who have faced unlawful and politically motivated criminal prosecution in Russia and the occupied Crimea.
On Wednesday, 20 January, 2016, at 2:00 p.m., the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre will hold a presentation of recommendations and the joint report entitled ‘28 hostages of the Kremlin’, produced by the initiative ‘Euromaidan SOS’, the Centre for Civil Liberties and the Open Dialog Foundation.
12 Oct 2015 – The French government has decided to extradite Mukhtar Ablyazov, Kazakh dissident and key representative of political opposition to longtime Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, to Russia.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls signed a decree on September 17, ordering the extradition to Russia of Kazakh dissident Mukhtar Ablyazov.
Open Dialog Foundation, EuroMaidan SOS, People in Need and European Exchange / Kiev Dialogue organized a debate on the Ukrainian (mostly, but not only) political prisoners, illegally detained and held in the Russian Federation.
Kazakhstan is orchestrating the Ukrainian and Russian investigations in the case of an opposition politician and applies illegal lobbying mechanisms in Europe.
The Russian regime held a show trial involving opponents of the annexation of the Crimean peninsula. Oleg Sentsov and Aleksander Kolchenko were sentenced to lengthy prison terms on trumped-up charges of terrorism
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania has answered the Open Dialog Foundation’s letter, in which the organisation has been calling for more transparency in sharing publicly information about the implementation of the European Union’s sanctions imposed on Russia.
The Open Dialog Foundation has addressed the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States with letters asking for more transparency on the issue of the application of sanctions, in particular the restrictive measures, against Russia for its active involvement in the crisis in Ukraine.
As appears from the statement of the press secretary of the Investigative Committee (IC) of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Markin, Russian investigative authorities may instigate legal proceedings against Nadiya Savchenko’s counsel, Mark Feygin.
Potentially, one of the main witnesses in the reopened Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s case is under constant threat from Russia. He can’t travel outside Estonia, Germany and the US due to the Interpol arrest warrant filed by Russia and his family faces repressions at home.
The Open Dialog Foundation (ODF) is a non-governmental, non-partisan organization established in Poland, in 2009. The statutory objectives of the Foundation include promotion, support and protection of human rights, democracy and rule of law in the post-Soviet area.
I am standing up for Ablyazov, asking that the politically motivated criminal case against him be closed and the Ukrainian extradition request against him be withdrawn.
The preliminary investigation into the criminal case against the Ukrainian political prisoner Nadiya Savchenko has come to an end. In the near future, the results of which will be submitted for consideration by the court.
Representatives of the Open Dialog Foundation recorded video material with greetings for the Kazakh opposition politician Mukhtar Ablyazov, who is now imprisoned in France due to requests for his extradition, filed by Ukraine and Russia.
Representatives of the Open Dialog Foundation recorded video material with greetings for the Kazakh opposition politician Mukhtar Ablyazov, who is now imprisoned in France due to requests for his extradition, filed by Ukraine and Russia.
1. Introduction The political context of the case of Mukhtar Ablyazov has been repeatedly referred to in the statements of human rights organisations, members of the European Parliament and the PACE. Russia and Ukraine are not safe countries for extradition as these countries do not guarantee the right to a fair trial or adequate conditions […]
The Verkhovna Rada has adopted the bill ‘On the implementation of personal sanctions against individuals responsible for the illegal detention of Nadiya Savchenko’.
The Open Dialog Foundation urges the imposition of personal sanctions against persons responsible for the kidnapping, arrest and imprisonment of Ukraine’s PACE delegate, people’s deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ukrainian citizen Nadiya Savchenko.
Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada registered a draft law imposing sanctions on the people responsible for the groundless detention in a Moscow detention centre of Nadya Savchenko – deputy to the Ukrainian Parliament and Ukraine’s delegate to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
Isolation of the Crimean Peninsula, difficulties in providing people with basic goods, the situation of the marginalised Crimean Tatars and Moscow’s financial difficulties were discussed for the pdf.edu.pl portal by Tomasz Czuwara.
17 March 2015 – The Open Dialog Foundation expresses its full support for the “Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act” (S.284/H.R.624).
The Open Dialog Foundation appealed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) pointing to the need to reform the international police mechanisms. At the same time, stories of victims of the system, documented in the Foundation’s most recent report, were presented
The All-Ukrainian Union ‘Batkivshchyna’ [‘Fatherland’] supported the ‘Savchenko List’, created by our experts.This information was aired during a rally outside the Russian Embassy in Kiev by Member of the Verkhovna Rada from the ‘Fatherland’ Ivan Krulko.
In an interview for Polsat News, Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialog Foundation, commented on the recent death of Boris Nemtsov, shot dead just in front of the Kremlin.
Political refugees become victims of misuse of the Interpol system by authoritarian states.
The recurring question, whether there will be war or not is a rhetorical one, because the war in Ukraine has been going on for many months now. We may not turn a blind eye to that – a discussion about facts is a waste of time; the situation requires action.
Rzeczpospolita daily published an article by Izabela Kacprzak and Marcin Pieńkowski about the mass-scale campaign to intimidate people associated with the Open Dialog Foundation.
The Open Dialog Foundation urges the imposition of personal sanctions against persons responsible for the kidnapping, arrest and imprisonment of Ukraine’s PACE delegate, people’s deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ukrainian citizen Nadiya Savchenko.
A group of intellectuals of Tatar nationality, including former Member of the State Duma, distinguished artists and scientists, vouched for activist Rafis Kashapov, currently on hunger strike.
Tomasz Czuwara from the ODF along with Agaton Koziński from Polska The Times on ‘Business and World’ of the TVN channel spoke about the concessive mission of Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Francois Hollande
In an open letter to President Putin, Mark Feygin, the Russian lawyer of the abducted and imprisoned Ukrainian lieutenant, appealed for justice while making a reference to the legal educational background of Russia’s president.
The Tatar activist, arrested in Kazan, who openly sympathises with Ukraine, has been on hunger strike for almost two weeks now. Meanwhile, the oppression of people who have stood in his defence, is ongoing, and the local television stations materials defaming the activist.
In protest against the illegal prosecution, the Ukrainian woman went on hunger strike.
26th January 2015 will be the day that Poles demonstrate their solidarity with, and support, the Ukrainian Lieutenant and Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, unlawfully imprisoned in Moscow.
Rafis Kashapov, one of the most important Tatar activists from the Republic of Tatarstan, is continuing his hunger strike in a Kazan prison. He was placed there after returning from Turkey, where he had organised support for Ukraine and the Crimean Tatars.
Nafis Kashapov, a refugee from Tatarstan, demanded on Plac Zamkowy in Warsaw, freedom for his brother Rafis, detained by the FSB in December 2014 having been accused of engaging in “anti-state activities”.
Investigators refused to open a criminal case regarding the torture of the Ukrainian filmmaker and continue to contrive charges.
Andrzej Lewandowski, Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Poland, has been a participant of observation missions in Russia, organised by the Open Dialog Foundation, regarding the case of Nadiya Savchenko.
The Open Dialog Foundation received a reply to the inquiry regarding the case of Sentsov, Kolchenko and Afanasiyev from the Office of the General Prosecutor of the Russian Federation.
Member of the European Parliament, Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz, filed a written inquiry with the European Commission regarding the Ukrainian activists, abducted from the territory of Crimea: Oleg Sentsov, Gennadiy Afanasyev, Aleksey Chirniy and Alexander Kolchenko.
Russia’s violation of international agreements and accords
during the Ukraine crisis
Oleg Sentsov, Oleksiy Chirniy, Gennadiy Afanasiev and Oleksandr Kolchenko were listed as Ukrainian citizens in the reply from the office of the Russian Federation’s Prosecutor sent to the Ukrainian deputy O. Bryhynets.
The student television channel of the University of Warsaw, Uniwerek TV, has recorded a programme about Putin’s 62nd birthday in Warsaw. The event was organised by the Open Dialog Foundation in cooperation with EuroMaidan Warsaw.
On Monday, 3 November 2014, the Polish MEP Michał Boni, a member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the EURONEST Eastern Partnership Parliamentary Assembly, has written to the EU Delegation in Moscow on the case of Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian pilot illegal
The Open Dialog Foundation is expressing its protest against unlawful actions undertaken by Russian investigators, designed to thwart the efforts of Nadiya Savchenko’s attorneys: Mark Feigin, Ilya Novikov and Nikolay Polozov.
27.10. Moscow (PAP) – A Moscow court extended on Monday, the detention of the Ukrainian female pilot Nadiya Savchenko until the 13th February, who is accused by the Russian authorities of involvement in the homicide of two Russian journalists near Lugansk, in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine.
Russian investigative agencies continue with the criminal prosecution against Nadiya Savchenko, the captured Ukrainian servicewoman.
Report on the conduct of 6 monitoring missions to Russia, in relation to the case of Nadiya Savchenko
Report on the conduct of 6 monitoring missions to Russia, in relation to the case of Nadiya Savchenko
Sixty-one MEPs have signed a letter addressed to Vladimir Putin in which they call upon the leader of the Russian Federation to conduct Savchenko’s case in accordance with the European Human Rights Convention and to let MEPs participate in the hearings of the Ukrainian lieutenant.
13.10.2014 the 6th observation mission concerning Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian pilot jailed in the Russian Federation, has been held. The mission members Anastasiia Chornohorska (Open Dialog Foundation) and Liliia Naumchuck (OZON Civic Monitoring) visited Russia to attend the court hearing. Natal
13.10.2014 the 6th observation mission concerning Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian pilot jailed in the Russian Federation, has been held.
The Russian Human Rights Centre Memorial has cited N. Savchenko, the Ukrainian pilot illegally transported to Russia and accused of the murder of two journalists, as a prisoner of conscience.
According to PAP, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs admits the fact that MEP R. Harms was refused entry to Russia was “directly linked to the existence of a black list.”
Wirtualna Polska and Gazeta Wyborcza, after the Polish Press Agency, reported the halting of the German MEP, R. Harms at the Moscow airport.
Rebecca Harms, German MEP and co-chair of the Greens and the Free European Alliance faction, was not allowed into Russia despite holding a diplomatic passport. She was travelling to Moscow upon a request from the Open Dialog Foundation and the family of Nadiya Savchenko, to act as an observer during
Ukranian pilot, Nadiya Savchenko has been transferred from the detention facility in Voronezh, Russia to the Moscow detention centre for women ‘SIZO-6 Pechatniki’. A hearing in which the court will consider the appeal of the defence, who did not agree to the forced psychiatric examination of their
The Radio Information Agency has published a despatch on the situation in Kazakhstan which cites a representative of the Open Dialog Foundation, Jędrzej Czerep.
On 14th September, another international mission was launched concerning the Ukrainian female pilot N. Savchenko who was abducted by the Russian Federation’s special services.
Russia has put Pavel Ushevets, a Ukrainian ‘rooftopper’, on the international wanted list. Pavel became subject to criminal prosecution after having conducted a pro-Ukrainian performance in Moscow.
On 14th September, another international mission was launched concerning the Ukrainian female pilot N. Savchenko who was abducted by the Russian Federation’s special services.
The court in Voronez has decided to extend the detention of the pilot N. Savchenko until 30 October and ordered, at the same time, that the Ukrainian lieutenant is to undergo so-called stationary expert psychiatric examination in the Serbsky Institute in Moscow.
At the end of August, the Open Dialog Foundation organised a fourth observation mission to the Russian Federation concerning the illegally detained Ukrainian nationals: Oleg Sentsov, Aleksey Chirniy and Nadiya Savchenko. The mission was joined by Lilia Naumchuk (OZON) and Petro Okhotin (ODF).
According to all international legal norms, the Russian Federation has no right to detain, arrest, present charges to or try the citizens of Ukraine for alleged crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine.
A fabricated criminal case of alleged preparation of terrorist acts on the territory of the Crimean peninsula, with four Crimean civil activists charged (including a well-known director Oleg Sentsov), is gathering pace.
On 11th August, an observation mission was launched, organised by the Open Dialog Foundation in cooperation with the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The French information portal Mediapart published an article on the embargo against agricultural products introduced by the Russian Federation with respect to countries sanctioning the former.
On August 11th, an international mission was launched by the Open Dialog Foundation in cooperation with the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Italian daily Corriere della Sera has commented on the counter-sanctions imposed by Russia on the EU, USA, Canada, Norway and Australia.
“There is a need for many countries to take a common stance against Putin’s imperialistic policy” – said spokesman for the Open Dialog Foundation, Tomasz Czuwara, in his interview for Supertstacja.
A journalist of the Ukrainian TV channel «1+1» Yevgeniy Agarkov, involved in covering the court case of a Ukrainian servicewoman, Nadiya Savchenko, was detained in Russia having been charged with carrying out illegal journalistic activities.
According to the french press, members of the party of German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed this week that the European Union or NATO could buy two Mistral warships which are designed for Russia.
The spokesman for the Open Dialog Foundation, Tomasz Czuwara, and Anna Maria Dyner of the Polish Institute of International Affairs, interviewed by Radio TOK FM, talked about the risks and costs of an open Russian intervention in Ukraine.
President of the board of the ODF, Bartosz Kramek, appeared on Polsat News to discuss sanctions towards the Russian Federation, and the Polish regulations on shipment of protective gear.
Between 24th and 27th July, the Open Dialog Foundation organised its second observation mission concerning the abducted officer of the Ukrainian army Nadiya Savchenko.
The representative of the Open Dialogue Foundation Petro Okhotin, who has currently been staying in Voronezh to observe the trial of an Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, made a comment on her case at Hromadske TV.
On the BTB channel, in the show called “Interes narodowy” (National Interest) ODF’s expert Viktor Maziarchiuk talked about the state of the Ukrainian economy and the ramifications of sanctions placed on Russia.
After the MH17 plane crash, France faced severe criticism from the West.
Ukrainian MP, Aleksandr Briginets has been arrested at the airport in Minsk. Now he remains in custody in the airport’s transit zone.
Radio News Agency informs that the Russian authorities did not allow Polish MPs and representatives of the Open Dialog Foundation to visit the Ukrainian lieutenant Nadiya Savchenko, who is being detained in the Russian prison of Voronezh.
Yesterday (16 July, 2014) the consul of Ukraine in the Russian Federation received permission to visit Lieutenant Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian army pilot arrested by pro-Russian terrorists in Ukraine and taken to Russia.
Polish and Ukrainian MPs and human rights activists were not allowed to enter the Voronezh prison, where the Ukrainian army officer, Nadiya Savchenko, is being held.
The Open Dialog Foundation. in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, has organised the first international observation mission to Lieutenant Nadiya Savchenko, Ukrainian army pilot arrested by pro-Russian terrorists in Ukraine and abducted to Russia, and charged with the murder
The EU has made a decision to introduce third-tier sanctions against Russia. The sanctions relate to the energy and finance sectors, military and dual-purpose products (Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014)[1].Sanctions are effective for a period of one year with the possibility of reconsideration af
Nadiya Savchenko, previously taken captive by representatives of terrorist groups in the east of Ukraine, was secretly transported to Russia where she has already been brought to trial on the basis of doubtful accusations.
Russian lawyer Mark Feygin became famous for his participation in the high-profile case of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot, and no less scandalous was the ending of their partnership.
Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian film director, screenwriter, producer and pro-Ukrainian activist and three of his colleagues were unlawfully kidnapped from the occupied territory of Crimea by the Russian FSB agents and transferred to Moscow on 23 May 2014.
Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in the Crimea detained and arrested four citizens of Ukraine on suspicion of plotting terrorist attacks in the occupied peninsula. In order to obtain confessions, they used torture against the detainees.
On tvp.info Tomasz Czuwara talked about the EU ultimatum for the Russian Federation.
Putin’s moves are purely tactical and designed to soften the pathetic position of the West, said Bartosz Kramek, ODF’s Chairman, in his interview for “TVN Biznes i Świat”.
Radio News Agency publishes a telegram informing of a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Warsaw, organised – among others – by the Open Dialog Foundation.
The Open Dialog Foundation, an organisation which defends human rights and supports democratic processes in post-Soviet countries, hereby expresses its utmost concern over the 2011 contract signed by France for the sale of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships (BPCs) to the Russian Navy.
The Russian Federation and other authoritarian regimes in Europe and Asia have abused Interpol mechanisms in order to oppress political opponents, using Ukraine as an agent to issue requests for the extradition of political activists.
A spokesman for ODF, Tomasz Czuwara, in his interview for TVN24 Biznes i Świat
commented on the life sentences handed down to the killers of the Russian journalist,
Anna Politkovskaya.
On 27 February, 2014, several-dozen armed men seized the building of the Supreme Council and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, in Simferopol (Ukraine).
It is very important to prevent the extradition of refugees from European countries to Russia, where they might be subjected to torture or be sent back to the countries of Central Asia and subjected to ill-treatment and convicted there.
Don’t Extradite Refugee to Country Where he Risks Unfair Trial
Human rights and the issue of their observance have become the subject of the conference, which was held in the Senate on 16 December, 2013. The conference was organised by the Legislative Committee and the Human Rights, the Rule of Law and Petitions Committee.
The Open Dialog Foundation hereby expresses its concern over the activity of the CIS-EMO organisation’s mission in Ukraine
Biographical note: Dmitriy Putenikhin, literary pseudonim “MatveyKrylov”, born on Janurary 05, 1989 in the city of Gai (Orenburg District, Russia). A member of the political party “The other Russia”.
